The Application of Mind Mapping in English Foreign Language Teaching: A Case Study of Unit 1 Great Cities in Asia of the English Textbook for Grade Six (Oxford Shanghai Edition)

A primary process in language learning is subsumption in which new language knowledge is linked with relevant concept in the existing cognitive structures. Taking this as a point of departure, this paper proposes the implementation of scaffolding instruction with mind mapping, which can act as a subsuming bridge to facilitate a student’s ability to build on prior knowledge and internalize new language input. To explore the feasibility of this cognitive instructional strategy in EFL classroom, an in-depth examination is given of the features of mind mapping and its cognitive theoretical foundations. Following that a sample English lesson plan is presented to demonstrate the application of mind mapping. By combining mind mapping with teaching, teachers can break through limitations of the traditional teaching, guide students to pay attention to the internal connection of knowledge points. As a result, students are able to build knowledge network and cultivate the habit of logical thinking and improve students’ learning efficiency and autonomous learning ability.